The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Abrams, James named to Wooden Award Preseason List
11.07.2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- University of Texas senior guard A.J. Abrams and junior swingman Damion James are among the Top 50 preseason candidates for the 2008-09 John R. Wooden All-American Team, Wooden Award Chairman and founder Richard "Duke" Llewellyn announced Friday. UT is one of just seven schools to have at least two players on the preseason award list, joining North Carolina, Louisville, Duke, Marquette, Pittsburgh and Connecticut.
The top 50 candidates were selected based on last year's individual performance and team records. The student-athletes selected are all returning players, as transfers and first-time players were not included.
The all-time career leader at Texas in three-point field goals made (284), Abrams enters his senior year ranked 15th on the school's career scoring list (1,389 points), second in free throw percentage (.872) and sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.399). He is the top returning scorer in the Big 12 Conference (16.5 ppg). Abrams earned a spot on the USBWA All-District VII Team and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team (coaches) and NABC All-District 9 second team in his junior season. In four NCAA Tournament contests, he averaged a team-best 20.3 points per game while converting 19-of-38 (.500) three-pointers.
James is one of just six returning Division I players to average a double-double (13.2 points, 10.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore). He earned a spot on the USBWA All-District VII Team and was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team (coaches) and the NABC All-District 9 second team last year. He set a school single-season record with 393 rebounds, led the team in double-doubles (17) and ranked second on the squad in blocks (51), third in scoring and fourth in assists (51).
Texas is the only school to have two winners of the Wooden Award in the last six years. T.J. Ford won the 2003 Wooden Award, while Kevin Durant became the first freshman in the award's history to claim the honor in 2007. In addition, D.J. Augustin was a finalist for last year's award.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. The 33rd annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award and the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award to Texas coach Rick Barnes, will be held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club in April, 2009.
Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List
(alphabetical order)
A.J. Abrams, TEXAS; Wink Adams, UNLV, DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh; Jon Brockman, Washington; Derrick Brown, Xavier; Chase Budinger, Arizona; Nick Calathes, Florida; Dionte Christmas, Temple; Earl Clark, Louisville; Sherron Collins, Kansas; Darren Collison, UCLA; Lee Cummard, BYU; Stephen Curry, Davidson; Devan Downey, South Carolina; Robert Dozier, Memphis; Wayne Ellington, North Carolina; Jonny Flynn, Syracuse; Taj Gibson, USC; Blake Griffin, Oklahoma; Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina; Luke Harangody, Notre Dame; James Harden, Arizona State; Gerald Henderson, Duke; Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin; Robbie Hummel, Purdue; Stefon Jackson, UTEP; Dominic James, Marquette; Damion James, TEXAS; Curtis Jerrells, Baylor; James Johnnson, Wake Forest; Marcus Landry, Wisconsin; Ty Lawson, North Carolina; Eric Maynor, VCU; Jack McClinton, Miami (Fla.); Jerel McNeal, Marquette; Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's; Raymar Morgan, Michigan State; A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt; Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga; Patrick Patterson, Kentucky; A.J. Price, Connecticut; Scottie Reynolds, Villanova; Tyrese Rice, Boston College; Kyle Singler, Duke; Tyler Smith, Tennessee; DaJuan Summers, Georgetown; Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut; Robert Vaden, UAB; Terrence Williams, Louisville; Sam Young, Pittsburgh.
